I didn't mean to become a superhero. I'd have avoided it if I could, but after I lost my job I didn't see a lot of options.
Maybe I ought to back up a few steps, no doubt you're wondering: who the hell is this guy and what's his problem? Everyone wants to be a superhero, don't they? Maybe everyone except me. I mean of course I saw the Superhero League of America's recruitment videos through high school like everyone else and saw their ads on TV. The ones with Mr. Unshakable in his golden outfit, looking proud and distant, like a Hollywood actor deified.
To be honest, I was always scared. They tell you that the superhero mortality rate is pretty low, that it's no more dangerous than law enforcement and with great benefits. But I never wanted to be a cop either. I didn't want to take any chances. And there was the nature of my power as well...Anyway, my bills were overdue and they'd already turned off my water so I went down to the SLA's main branch and stood in the line and waited for my chance to shine.
It took the better part of the afternoon before I got an interview. There were documents to sign and enough waivers to almost make me reconsider the whole thing, but eventually the interview came.
The interview room was on the small side. A long table with a few chairs on either side. There were windows with the blinds drawn on both sides of the room. I picked a seat at random and waited for my interviewer.
I guess I was expecting someone in full costume to come walking through the door, but instead it was a younger guy in plain clothes. He was maybe just a few years older than me or my age. He wore a deep-purple collared shirt with the sleeves rolled up and a nice, dark pair of jeans. He had one of those haircuts that's impossible without significant maintenance, but had an easy smile to go with it. He locked the door behind him and came over.
"Hi, I'm Justin," he said. Then he pulled out a chair across from me. "And you are?"
"Nick," I replied. I should have added more, but I left it too long so he continued.
"Ok, Nick. Well I'm glad you decided to come down to see us today." He clicked a pen and started jotting notes down on a blank pad. "First things first: what's your ability?"
And here it was, my big moment. My opportunity to amaze my recruiter with the special power that had been my jailer since adolescence. Justin was just looking at me with his handsome smile. I looked away and muttered:
"Pheromones."
"Pardon me?" he asked.
"I can secrete pheromones, I guess. I can control them too. I don't really know how it works. I mean, I can show you, but..."
Justin took a quick note and then gave a nod that was also a half-shrug. "Sure. Go ahead."
"I want to warn you, it might...affect you weirdly."
"Nick, you can relax. I'm the interviewer for a reason. My ability is a kind of cancelling field. If whatever you can do gets too dangerous or if either of us is uncomfortable, I can shut your power off." He snapped abruptly. "Like that."
"Really? I've never —"
"Never heard of a power like that? Yeah, well we try to keep it low-key, it's not exactly the kind of thing you want to advertise when they are villains who might love to take a crack at me, you know?"
I nodded.
